Good evening, have been away from this site for some time. As some of you may know I enjoy taking part in sport but in the past found I could not compete as I used to since my diagnosis 6 years ago. My ex used to say I would always compare my times in races from previous years and get upset when I cannot keep my balance. For the last few years though, I take part in parkruns, a 5k route that are in many places throughout the world, on a Saturday morning at 9am. Run, jog or walk it, your choice. Have done a number of them and love the whole ethos and support. My question, has anyone else been to these please?
hi vince
i haven’t been to a park run.
if i did i’d be disqualified for distracting the other runners.
my walk is silly enough but my run will be hilarious to onlookers.
enjoy it vince!
carole x
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No. I haven’t been able run run since January 2003 at age 39.
derek
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You can just walk it with the tail walker behind you. I know a few with cardiac conditions who do this.
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Hi Vince A
yes I was running 5km park runs and they are great very enjoyable prior to MS diagnosis.
Now I am trying to get over relapse and onto medication which has been delayed due to funding. I was diagnosed in August this year. I would like to build up my fitness and get back into it but I know my limits I won’t be doing half marathons or 10km runs for a good while. would like to stay at parkruns and 10km in the future.
Don’t forget to bring your barcode for your time !
good luck and enjoy it !
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Hello! Me! - I love parkrun, although I am a relatively new starter compared to some (one of my friends is in the 500 club!). Having always said I “couldn’t” run, my diagnosis gave that thought a whole new meaning and spurred on by my boyfriend (a loony ultra-runner and parkrun regular) I decided to give it a go - no longer prepared to accept self imposed limitations on myself out of fear of ones that may be real in the future. I’d also read about the brain health benefits of cardio exercise and, in particular, running - and wanted to do everything I could to help myself I started running along the Thames south bank before work in the morning, but was too scared to take my running “public” until I felt it was perfect. I decided to do my first parkrun two weeks after my first round of Lemtrada - using the treatment as “fig leaf” available to justify or excuse any failure. Looking back, this was ridiculus. Parkrun is so inclusive and non-judgemental it wouldn’t have mattered if I’d walked the whole way (many people do). Fear of failure is a silly reason not to try something you want to do. As it was, I ran it all. That was September 2016. I’ve now completed 31 parkruns on about 12 different courses (hoping to get my 13th at a hilly Tring on Saturday). I have a dedicated parkrun page on my Wedding website - as both Richard and I will be running a parkrun on the morning of our wedding next May and hope our guests will join us! Parkrun have recently launched “prove” - to help get people with long term health conditions walk/jog/running parkrun. At the moment I don’t think they have a group for MSers, but I’ve dropped a query to see whether anything is planned as this would be great. Building communities for parkrunners with disabilities and long term health conditions | parkrun UK Blog
Vince A, Just re-read your post and realise you are also a tourist. What is your fav. course? My “home” is Orpington, my fastest is Bromley and my favourite is either Malling (I like the ducks!) or Bedgebury (hilly but fun - and every third runner seems to have a dog which is excellent!). Other ones I’ve done are Brockenhurst, Upton House, Malling, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Shorne Woods, Woking, Hoblingwell and Dartford K x